LIBRARY OF (X)NGRKS 



Hollinger Corp. 
pH 8.5 



ART OF TRANSPLANTING 




TREES, VINES, ETC., 

B Y 

JOHN DOLLINS, 

Crozet, Albemarle County, Virginia. 



PRICE, 30 CENTS PER COPY, POST-PAID. 

Copyright 1887, by John Dollins. 



-^THE ART OF TRANSPLANTING TREES, VINES, ETfr«- 



That symstematic practice is just as productive of art in 
the mode of transplanting uprooted tree and vine-plants into 
successful reestablishment as it is in any other branch of the 
hortulan of the garden, be the same on pruning, cross-breed- 
ing, etc., in any of the divisions of arboriculture, pomiculture 
or viticulture, there is no question. But there is a question, 
a momentous question, to be propounded involving its sterility as 
combined with practice in the written manuals of the most 
popular hortulan books, journals and the wide-spread cata- 
logue of the day ; and that question is, Why do such a large 
percentage of freshly transplanted tree and vine-plants perish 
to death annually, and the survivors fail to flourish as might 
reasonably be expected, if real art has been combined with 
practice, as written for a guide in all those works widely pro- 
mulgated ? That art has not furnished the happy conditions 
proclivous to the life-surviving organs of the plant in the re- 
introduction to its normal element, the earth. The trans- 
planter as he stands and beholds his dead and sickly subjects 
in the falltime must give a solemn affirmative; and cry aloud, 
in his sorrows, to science for the sweet-milk of art mamma- 
lated from the breast of mother nature, to give to his suffering 
subjects. But the reader may say, we have enough criticism, 
condemnation and sorrow, why do you not come to the point 
and let us have the sweet milk. Not quite yet am I ready to 
give it down, although it is true we all have "the cow of na- 
ture, and her udder is always full of milk ; but first we must 
make her easy acquaintance, as she is of a formal disposition, 
before we take the liberty to draw her teats, lest she kick the 
pail over and spilled milk can't be picked up. And so it is, 
not only in the different branches of vegetable physiology, 



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THE ART OF TRANSPLANTING TREES, ETC. 



but of all the branches of every subject with which we have 
to deal in animated nature ; then and not until then are we 
prepared to deal rationally with our subject. Therefore, in 
the cause of our subject as above headed, we must first make 
the familiar acquaintance of the radical tree, that is of its 
natality as we find it implanted in its two elements of earth 
and air, and learn not only of its anatomical structure, but of 
its habits of adaptation to the twin elements of its existence 
as well. But perforce of non-acquaintance with the technical 
phraseology in anatomical and physiological botany, as 
taught in the text-books of the schools, which is at best un- 
derstood but by the few, and however serviceable to them, 
presents to the many an etymological stumbling-stone in the 
"spring-path of science which leads to the pure fountains of 
primeval nature," I must content myself with the use of such 
phraseology as I have learned to apply to things as I see them 
hirsuted in the sylvan pages of the Great Book of Nature, 
and why not ? Have I not eyes to see, sense to guide and a 
serving mind to search among the hierography of those sylvan 
pages for the golden grain of life, as it were, bulletin-boarded 
at every turn to the right or left in the road of our pilgrimage 
on earth in search of joy and happiness, temporal and eternal ? 

Of what is a tree, both of the higher and lower order 
(and the vine is the same as a tree) organically considered ? 

The whole anatomy of an uprooted tree at its pubescent 
majority presents the figure of a circumscribed shaft or trunk 
in two united sections, ramified alike at either end but in op- 
posite directions from the junction with a continued curve- 
linear reduplication in miniature form of itself, both sections 
extending and augmenting alike, the only difference being 
adaptation to elementary conditions in the co-work of con- 
struction for the purposes intended. 

To understand thoroughly the radical principles of this 
anatomy in manner of construction, habit of adaptation, etc., 
most particularly of the radical end of the shaft under ground, 
is of the highest importance to transplanters, as perfect sue- 



THE ART OF TRANSPLANTING TREES, ETC. 



3 



cess depends alone upon the happy natural conditions given 
in the mode of anchorage in the soil and subsoil of the earth, 
and to make this matter plain I will consider it synthetically 
from the germ of the kernel of the seed to the time of trans- 
planting from the nursery. The seed scattered in the soil 
casts out a stemlet of cellular wood and bark-fibre extending 
vertically both ways down and up from the midriff of the 
kernel ; this constitutes the concentrical trunk or shaft-line 
of the forming figure, which casts out alternately around its 
circumference, as the radical driving end o'f the shaft descends, 
and the airiating end rises, a ramification of latteral organs in 
miniature form of itself, which cast out again and again in redu- 
plication, from their sub-shafts based in the fundamental trunk- 
line, extending in all directions, and conforming to elementary 
bounds. From the above exposition of the building up of 
the anatomy of the tree, be it correct, it is easy to see that 
the multifarious offices of the shaft and those of its branches 
are, in some respects, at least, widely different. I shall here 
drop the discussion of the aerial end and confine myself to 
the earth end of the shaft, which more directly concerns the 
object of this work. The best European authority which I 
have seen says that the tendency of the roots of trees is 
downwards and that the deeper the soil is cultivated and en- 
riched the less the roots will ramble. Lazy things ! But this 
theory is not well-founded in fact ; it takes no notice of dis- 
tinction in the character, habit and purpose between and 01 
the vertical plung or tap-root, as vulgarly called, and that 
of its angulating aggregation of prop-supports and their soil- 
grappling feeders, but all of the system is treated as one and 
the same root, all parts being adapted alike either to the deep, 
cool, moist, mineral sub-surface or to the sun-warmed and 
air-penetrating, nitrogenized soil in which, notwithstanding 
the flattery of the theory as above expressed, the ramblers at 
the right temperature go apace unbridled. I have now, I 
think, arrived briefly and plainly at the climax of my scientific 
investigations, which induced me as a benefactor to my fellow- 



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THE ART OF TRANSPLANTING TREES, ETC. 



man to write this essay and advertise it for sale. Staking all 
of my reputation as a student of nature on the lone proposi- 
tion of characteristic difference between the vertical shaft drive 
of the tree-plant and that of its latteral membership in position, 
habit and purpose, by which I am to solve the problem of easy, 
snccessfid r ^establishment, and in order to 
do so in the plainest manner I have had 
a small synoptical engraving of a naked 
tree-plant and an open anchor-bead made 
together, which I here present to show 
the form of the radical drive and its 
relative position to the under surface in 
the second narrow, but deep, excavation 
in the centre of the first fiat bottom 
removal, which see. The office of the 
radical in the deep, but narrow, circular 
pit is to penetrate deep into the surface, 
first, to form the fundamental basis of the upper works, by pene- 
trating deeper and deeper in the earth as the aerial end of the 
shaft rises and takes on soil ; Second, to cast out from its cir- 
cumference a progeny of soil-feeders, which also become base 
props in their trunk-lines at the junction to keep the tree 
steady ; the radical having less and less disposition to cast out 
as it extends down ; the principle part of the aggregation may 
be found about one foot below the surface-junction. The 
third work of the radical is to search for soluted mineral salts 
in the cool, deep earth, to be drawn up to the sun-famishing 
leaves in a drought, whilst the nitrous feeders near the 
scorched plain is inactive, by the syphonic cellular system 
of wood and bark fibre of which it is all composed, to sustain 
the life and health of the tree through the ordeal of adversity. 
A work most surely of vital importance. 

The office work of the aggregation is to ramble away 
from the direction of the trunk-line just between the soil and 
the sub-soil, whether cultivated or not, according to its depth 
of about one or one and one-half feet deep, for the nitrogen- 




THE ART OF TRANSPLANTING TREES, ETC. 



5 



ous salts in solution there to be found, and sent to the trunk by 
the same power as the first, and lastly by all of the system 
the tree is anchor-beaded firmly to the ground. 

Now it is easy to see my art demonstrated by the above, 
and hence the necessity of a whole root stock tree plant to 
commence with, because if the plant has been propagated on 
section-cut stock stems, either the one or the other, perhaps 
both, of the vital principles of the root system have been 
broken into and the plant is a cripple at the beginning, which 
no after nursing can possibly cure ; therefore take norie but 
the whole root system to transplant or so little disfigured that 
the vital union is not destroyed. 

The time to transplant deciduous trees of all kinds is in 
mild (moist, if possible) weather, any time during dormancy. 
Vines the same, and evergreens later in the spring; never in 
autumn, just after the growth has started. The greatest care 
should be taken to keep the resinous roots moist and fresh, 
as hot sun, or dry wind, will kill the tender fibre-strings in 
ten minutes, if left exposed, and no amount of water can 
bring them to life therafter, and must die however well trans- 
planted. 

Now, the practical work of transplanting is like the old 
receipt for cooking a rabbit — first, catch a rabbit, etc. I will 
add a counterpart. First, procure young, (maiden plants are 
preferable) thrifty, ivJwle-stock plants, 4 to 6 feet high, single, 
straight stems, not over two years' old, from propagation, 
worked from the upper leading branches, of fruit-trees on 
clean stocks one year old only, so sheared as to preserve both 
vital principles of its root-system, and one only to the scion. 
To prepare the plat for a new orchard where there is room to 
plough the land : turn it over with a three-horse plough, 
twelve to fifteen inches deep, in the fall ; season let it alone in 
that condition till early spring, then with the same plough 
turn it back. Never mind harrowing, I don't like fallow made 
too fine and level until the heavy spring rains have passed 
over; then carefully mark it off, for apple, in rows thirty to 



6 



THE ART OF TRANSPLANTING TREES, ETC. 



thirty-five feet apart, not minding the right angles and diago- 
nals, but mark the places near as may be so as to get the best 
site in the soil for the tree to grow in, within four or five feet 
any way from the would be crossmark, directing the rows to 
suit the best plane of the land, whether straight or not. 

To open the bed for the plant, spade and shovel off the 
fallowed soil at the place in a circle two to four feet in diame- 
ter, twelve to fifteen inches deep, or as deep as cultivated with 
the plough, to a clean fiat bottom. In the centre of this cir- 
cular flat excavate, with a post hole auger or digger, or any 
other suitable tool, a second narrow hole two to three feet 
deep ; this is to open the way in the hard underground to 
receive the drive end of the radical root to its extremity, pre- 
serving unbroken the circular bench, because that is to form 
the foundation of the prop-arms to the tree when extended, 
and to prevent the logging of the plant in the rainy seasons. 
Should the sub-soil be of a close nature, two of the most im- 
portant little items of art ever yet picked up, to furnish some of 
those happy conditions promised in my advertisements. And, 
again, 1 stake my reputation on the art engendered in the 
moulding of this entire anchor-bead. The opening has been 
made to receive at once the vertical top-shaft to its extremity, 
and yet the foundation has been left intact for the prop-arms 
which introduce their string-feeders to their proper element 
in the most natural way. Next, set the root of the plant 
right down in the deep hole, commence to fill in fine, rich 
soil right on the root, and as the excavation is being filled 
draw up the plant correspondingly until its sectional junction 
is even with the top-surface, let the filling in the meantime, 
after the deep hole is full to the even of the bench, be only 
piled around the plant in a mound. Next take a round stick, 
about the size of an umbrella staff, tapered to a blunt point, 
and insert it many times down in the deep hole all around 
and about the roots, and by this little tool properly used the 
soil will be carried and firmed into every cranny about the 
roots. Next, with the same tool, straighten out the surface 



THE ART OF TRANSPLANTING TREES, ETC. 



7 



roots on the bench, giving them as natural a direction in equal 
distribution around the collar of the plant as may be, and if 
one side is heavier than the other turn the excess towards the 
prevailing wind, finish by continuing to fill and straighten out 
the roots until the level is reached, and an inch or two above, 
and that plant has so far received the happy conditions of 
reestablishment. 

About putting trees into places where the land cannot be 
conveniently prepared with the plough, I stand a stake or 
mark, and spade two spades wide all around the mark, finish- 
ing up same as above, and brake down the circular wall with 
the mattock. These directions will do for all trees of the 
higher order and also for the lower and reduced scale accord- 
ing to their size and habits. As to the distances apart that 
must be governed by the size and the habit of the kind and 
the space to spare for the same. Of course, they should all 
be cultivated frequently during their early stages, especially 
in early spring, green weeds, leafy bushes, straw and trash 
of any kind bedded around the plants is of great value. It 
keeps the sun from drying out the moisture and the surface 
mellow. Set no stakes by the trees, but watch them carefully 
after storms and keep them straight up to the vertical line and 
the leader well in the centre of the branches, as they will soon 
begin to appear, which should have close attention in the 
early stages of the plant so as to give even balance and sym- 
metry to the tree, both of trunk and branch. It is best to 
keep the head pretty thin for several years, more in the form 
of a skeleton than of a plump figure, so that there will be no 
crowding of branches in after years. The height of the 
shaft to the first limb should be governed by the size and 
habit of the kind of tree, high enough to prevent heavy 
limbing to the detriment of the leader, and it is often that the 
largest limb should be cut away to preserve even balance to 
the head. 

Now a word about the old mode of square, flat bottom, 
dug-out pits so much patronized, and I shall close. They are 



8 



THE ART OF TRANSPLANTING TREES, ETC. 



usually dug out two to three feet in diameter, eighteen inches 
to two feet deep, then filled in one-half full, and if the trans- 
planter is very particular woods mold is used ; the plant is 
then set in and the roots straightened out as best it can be 
done, which is at best badly done ; the tap-leader is bent to a 
curve giving it the wrong direction, and the soilers squatted 
around against the prison walls and soil cast on until the hole 
is filled up, and then tramped around, and it is finished to the 
pity of not the plant, but the poor knowledge of the trans- 
planter, because he has only made a bog-hole to drown the 
plant, which he has given all wrong directions to, in wet- 
weather and pot-hodded in dry weather to its death in the 
prison walls in which he has confined it, and if the plant should 
barely survive this treatment it is more like a Missippi sawyer 
swayed back and forth, by the wind instead of water, in its 
unrested anchorage, and in which there is no art at all. Yet 
a great editor of a fashionable art journal wrote me, the other 
day, that the tap-roots of trees would take care of themselves. 
If this be so, then the branch roots surely, on the same 
theory, could do the same thing, and all that would be neces- 
sary to do would be to force the roots into the ground in any 
way. I pitied him. 

JOHN DOLLINS, 

P. 0. Croze t, Albemarle Co., Va. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




0 000 933 936 R 



Albemarle Nurseries. 



The proprietor of these nurseries has a life-long expe- 
rience in the art of propagating from the most suitable 
material in the best modes of science and practical skill 
combined in one person. Also the most extended acquain- 
tance with native and adopted varieties of fruits here in the 
midst of the Piedmont Region, at the foot of the Blue Ridge, 
the home of the Apple, Cherry, Pear, Peach, Plum, Quince 
and the Grape, Strawberry, etc. 

A bonanza is coming here soon to eclipse that of Florida, 
and coming to stay, because we have the best fruit locality, 
the best climate, water, etc., in this country. The pippin 
alone will be worth millions. 

jfgjT'Send for price list. 

JOHN DOLLINS, 

P. O. Crozet, Albemarle Co., Va. 



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